"We have food experts, technologists and lawyers who tell us what to do," Boehi told CNN. "Our portfolio, our production lines, our quality standards...[they] are not much different to what Nestle or any global player would be doing."

The factory visited by CNN churns out 40 tonnes of Bambi's best-selling biscuit, the Plazma, each day. The company is investing $13 million in more production lines next year. Boehi told CNN he expected joining the EU would increase demand for products and open new markets.

Serbia's minimum wage, at $1.36 an hour, is one of the lowest in Europe, and comes in below China, Malaysia and the Philippines. The country is also struggling with its rising unemployment levels. Entry into the EU has raised fears the country's educated youth will flee to better economies within Europe.

"Wage costs will go up, this is clear, but the way we will deal with that is not laying off people. It is by simply organizing ourselves in a better way," Boehi told CNN.

"We are paying more than others and the competition will slowly, slowly need to ...adjust to that and come up to the same level. So, it will go up but that is part of life."